Bollywood actors meeting case: Sheikh Hamad from the royal family of Bahrain wins £35 million

LONDON: Sheikh Hamad of a royal family of Bahrain has won a bitter battle of High Court, claiming that he paid £35 million to be introduced to Bollywood superstars including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh and Aishwarya Rai.

A businessman from Egypt, Ahmed Adel Abdullah Ahmed claimed Sheikh exclusively hired him to line up a meetings with 26 Indian film stars. Sheikh Hamad Isa Ali Al Khalifa who is a distant cousin of the King of Bahrain and a member of the royal family of Bahrain.

Ahmed during the trial at the London High Court asserted that in a January 2016, they had reached a legally binding agreement phone call, but Sheikh Hamad refused to sign any kind of agreement and said he thought that Ahmed and him had a genuine bond of friendship with Ahmed.

On Friday, London High Court Giving his judgment, Justice Jacobs dissolve the claim saying that there were simply too many improbabilities and incompatibility as the case was advanced by Ahmed to be accepted”.

“I reject Ahmed’s account of the phone conversation on Jan 7th, 2016 and I reject his case that there was any agreement of the terms” , said the judge.

Sheikh Hamad in a statement after the ruling said: “I am very delighted with today’s judgment. Since, I had considered Mr. Ahmed to be a friend whom I trusted and had always treated him with kindness and generosity. I was forced to defend myself against this claim with a heavy heart. I am glad that the court has dismissed the claim in its entirety and found in my favour.”

Ahmed’s lawyers at a hearing in November said Sheikh Hamad had a passionate interest in Bollywood since his childhood and an unquenchable desire to meet its superstars including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh and Aishwarya Rai.

Stephen Nathan QC, Ahmed’s barrister said reach to such stars is not easily achieved, but Mr Ahmed and his company had enough money to deliver it at a price. Ahmed was contended but his lawyers proposed the the idea that his agreement with Ahmed was verging on the grotesque and is totally absurd.